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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24177610">On the Pulse of Morning</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/valegal/pseuds/valegal'>valegal</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, F/F, F/M, M/M, My take on Dragon Age 4, Post-Canon, Romance, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:56:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24177610</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/valegal/pseuds/valegal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It has been three years since the Inquisition was disbanded at the Exalted Council and the Dread Wolf revealed his plan to bring the Veil down on Thedas. </p>
<p>Three years since Ellana last saw Solas. Three years of planning, and spying, and fighting. </p>
<p>War has now breached the shores of Thedas and Ellana must guide the remnants of the Inquisition to stop the Dread Wolf, or a great wave of death will descend upon the world as none have seen before. She once vowed to save him, but will that be enough?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alistair/Female Warden (Dragon Age), Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Female Lavellan/Solas, Fenris/Female Hawke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On the Pulse of Morning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elgara vallas, da'len        Sun sets, little one</p>
<p>Melava somniar               Time to dream</p>
<p>Mala taren aravas            Your mind journeys,</p>
<p>Ara ma'desen melar          But I will hold you here</p>
<p>                                                   Mir Da'len Somniar ("The Seer's Yarn")                 </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ellana wiped her eyes, trying to rub the sleepiness from them as she squatted along the high wall overlooking the docks of Kirkwall. Besides her, Sera was peeling off paint from her nails, letting the chips drop of the wall and float lazily to water on their other side.</p>
<p>The night was hot, a warm breeze playing at Ellana’s hair even as it was tucked under her hood. No sound could be heard except the random cackle of laughter or shout of drunken men. She had caught herself falling asleep a few times, catching herself right before swaying off the wall and tumbling to her death. She was bored to death but knew better to tell that to Sera who was all but willing to call off the night’s stakeout.</p>
<p> Varric had insisted they go themselves, sure that there would be some kind of deal happening between a Tevinter spy and the Carta. She grinned, there were only a few times when Varric was wrong and when he was, Ellana was sure to cash in on a few rounds at the Hanged Man.</p>
<p>At first, the dirty pub and the cheap alcohol had her aching for the fare back at Skyhold, but soon, she found the place to be oddly charming. In times such as the ones they lived in, the Hanged Man was warm and inviting. There, she was not the Herald of Andraste or the ex-Inquisitor, but just another rogue from Lowtown.</p>
<p> Sera raised an eyebrow, “What’re ya smiling all goofy at?”</p>
<p>“Oh, nothing.”</p>
<p> “Don’t give me that shite,” Sera said, creeping closer to Ellana to look under her hood. “You’re smiling like we just stool all the breeches from the City Guard.”</p>
<p>“No Sera,” Ellana laughed, “that’s what <em>you </em>would be smiling about.”</p>
<p>The girl squinted and shook her head, her short blonde hair spiking up at her forehead. “Bunch of tits is what they are.</p>
<p>Ellana clapped Sera on the shoulder and looked back out to the docks. A figure had appeared, cloaked in dark garb, their hood drawn low over their face. They moved across the planks like a shadow, no noise coming from their steps as if they were gliding above the ground.</p>
<p>“Is that our man?”</p>
<p>Ellana nodded, “Possibly, just keep quiet for now.”</p>
<p>They watched, still and silent. Ellana’s body ached from staying in the same position for so long but now was not the time to stretch her limbs out.</p>
<p>Two dwarves stepped out from a doorframe, both dressed in scarlet vests with connecting hoods and donning axes strapped to their backs.</p>
<p>“Definitely Carta,” Ellana whispered. It looked like she might not be getting those free drinks after all.</p>
<p>The dwarves approached the cloaked figure, making some kind of hand gesture that seemed like a secret greeting. The figure tilted his head to the right and then the group headed to the shadowed corner of two buildings. She tried to hear them talk, but their voices were mere whispers above the crash of waves against the wall.</p>
<p>“Shit,” Ellana hissed, “We need to move.”</p>
<p>Sera was already on it, up on her feet and scaling across the wall towards the group. Ellana followed, trying to keep her poise as best she could. It was easier when she had two arms to help balance her. Sometimes she felt like a newborn foal, gangling along until inevitably crashing into things. Dagna and Bianca said they were coming up with some plan to create a prosthetic but for now, she was training to fight without it.</p>
<p> Instead of the bow she once used, Ellana used daggers, some smaller for throwing and others larger for melee attacks. Luckily, she was right-handed, or she was sure she would be almost useless in a fight. However, the word luck should not really be used in her situation as Varric so much liked to remind her.</p>
<p>They got to the end of the wall and crouched down low, straining their ears and watching for movement in the darkness.</p>
<p>“My employer has the product secured, there have been multiple attacks but there has been no damage to it,” a smooth voice said.</p>
<p>“Is it Fen’Harel?”  </p>
<p>“Most likely,” the voice spoke again, “most attackers were elven, a few disguised as humans.”</p>
<p>Ellana felt a chill run along her spine and to her feet, her toes curling in her shoes. So, he knew the location of whatever this object was the Carta wanted so badly. If it was true, then it was only a matter of time before the Dread Wolf had it in his hands.</p>
<p>“Not good,” a gruff female voice rang out, presumably one of the dwarves.</p>
<p>“House Danarius will keep their hold until the right price is met, a few wild elves will not stop them.”</p>
<p> The Carta dwarf laughed bitterly, “Do not underestimate their forces, we made that mistake already. Can’t sleep without fearing for our lives.”</p>
<p> Sera turned to Ellana, her eyes as wide as saucers in the night. They had heard of this story from Charter, Carta dwarves uncovering the red lyrium idol for an agent of Fen’Harel before turning on the elf, killing him, and selling the idol to a house in Tevinter. Only, the Dread Wolf knew of their misdeeds and began killing the dwarves in their sleep, his new power they had only recently learned of.</p>
<p> That meant that House Danarius still had the idol in their possession. The note Charter had left from the Dread Wolf in her report rang in Ellana's ears, <em>when you report back to the Inquisitor say that I am sorry.</em></p>
<p>Ellana was shaking, the voices of the group below growing distant as her vision darkened. The world as they knew it would end, they would all die, and she would be forced to watch as-</p>
<p>“Hey!” Sera was shaking her, “Snap out if it Inky!”</p>
<p>Ellana broke from her daze, face to face with Sera as the archer looked at her, brows crinkled up on her forehead in worry.</p>
<p>“Don’t go thinking things when nothing’s happened,” she said, a stubborn lilt to her voice. “Focus down there, on the little people with bigger weapons.”</p>
<p>She was about to thank Sera when a sound broke the wind and passed by the girls, a clear whoosh flying past their ears.</p>
<p>Arrows thunked in the dwarves’ backsides, cries on their lips as they fell to the ground. The Tevinter spy drew a blade, facing the way the arrows came as several elves materialized like apparitions from the shadows. Some wore vallaslin, others' faces were clear, but the one thing they all had in common was that they were holding lots of weapons.</p>
<p>Ellana saw the shine of green glinting off the tips of arrows and blades, promising a painful death or agonizing recovery.</p>
<p>“We can’t let that Vint die!” Sera hissed, “if he dies then we lose any more information on that nug blasted idol.”</p>
<p>“I know.”</p>
<p>If they went down there, Ellana knew they would be outnumbered and outmatched. Maybe three years ago they could have managed but now… phantom pain squeezed the stump where her forearm had once been.</p>
<p>She looked around, trying to find something to give enough of a distraction to let the spy flee without giving away their location.</p>
<p>“We need a distraction,” Ellana whispered.</p>
<p>“Got it,” Sera smiled, her white teeth glinting in the moonlight as her grin spread wider and wider. “Watch this!”</p>
<p>From somewhere beneath her cloak she pulled out two jars, bees angrily swarming around in them and visibly shaking the containers. Dread filled Ellana’s stomach.</p>
<p>“Wait Sera-”</p>
<p>The girl lobbed the jars into the air before nocking two arrows onto her bow and sending them spiraling towards her targets, shattering them before the glass could even hit the ground. Panic erupted as the bees swarmed the eves, going for their uncovered skin and leaving large angry welts behind.</p>
<p>The Tevinter spy looked shocked but quickly regained his composer and ran away, disappearing into the night from where he came. Sera looked triumphant, her grin so large Ellana was sure it covered at least half her face.</p>
<p>“You know by letting him escape, we have also lost him,” Ellana sighed.</p>
<p>“For <em>now</em>,” Sera replied, “Better to lose the poor knocker from shadows than from death.”</p>
<p>Ellana smiled, “Sera… that actually makes sense.”</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t be the first time!”</p>
<p>The two began to crawl back along the wall while the elven agents continued to shoo away the bees, magic zapping them to the ground. Sera led the way, humming softly.</p>
<p>Ellana was surprised Sera had stuck around for so long. Sure, they were friends, but considering the work the technically disbanded Inquisition was now doing, Ellana wasn’t so sure Sera would have wanted to risk it.</p>
<p>She had volunteered to help them defeat the Breach, so maybe it wasn’t that big of a stretch to say she would help out on this. Besides, Ellana knew Sera wouldn’t admit it but she had been one of the companions most hurt and betrayed by the events at the end of the Exalted Council.</p>
<p>“Sera, what’s that?”</p>
<p>Something had begun to fall from Sera’s cloak, another jar of sorts. Ellana tried to reach for it before it crashed to the ground, but she wasn’t fast enough and the glass shattered loudly from their place on the wall, a purple goo burning the stone it touched.</p>
<p>Sera and Ellana looked at each other.</p>
<p>“Oh frick,” Sera yelped.</p>
<p>Arrows and daggers rained down as the elven agents realized who had let loose the swarm of bees upon them.</p>
<p>“Run!” Ellana yelled, pushing at Sera to continue the path on the wall. They dodged the barrage of weapons, a few to close for comfort as an arrow sliced at Ellana’s cheek. A mage shot ice spells at them, one catching Sera’s foot and causing her to almost fall off the wall.</p>
<p>Ellana grabbed her, both of them tilting to the side before she righted them again and struck at the ice containing Sera’s foot, releasing the hold.</p>
<p>As they ran, Sera threw out random jars, spilling fire and ice and poison down on their assailants. Two agents, swords on their back began to climb the wall and Ellana flicked a few small, curved daggers their way, catching them in the shoulders but not stopping their climb.</p>
<p>“Hurry,” Ellana hissed when she smacked into Sera’s backside.</p>
<p>“Look!”</p>
<p>Ellana peaked over Sera’s shoulder to find an ice mine, set up along the width of the wall, stopping their path. It was too long to jump over, but if they waited any longer the warriors climbing the walls would be on them in a matter of minutes.</p>
<p>
  <em>What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?</em>
</p>
<p>She grabbed Dorian’s crystal at her chest for comfort. <em>Come on Ellana think, you have been in worse situations than this</em>.</p>
<p>Her eyes caught the crashing waves beneath them, smashing into the walls with a force that she was sure was as strong as any giant’s throw. But it was the water or captivity, maybe worse.</p>
<p>Pain struck her shoulder, violent and searing. Ellana cried out and touched the arrow that had pierced her flesh. It made the decision for her.</p>
<p>“Sera, jump!”</p>
<p>The girl’s eyebrows shot up into her hair. “What? No! I’m supposed to be the crazy one here, not you!”</p>
<p>Ellana grabbed her hand, “Got any better ideas?”</p>
<p>She saw Sera’s eyes skim to the warriors behind them, surely now only a few yards away, then to the agents who waited below, bright anger in their eyes and finally to the arrow sticking out of Ellana’s shoulder.</p>
<p>Sera nodded.</p>
<p>They jumped. Once, Ellana would have called out to the Patheon for guidance, safety, and help. But, as the two girls flew through the air and crashed into the water, its cold embrace enveloping her like a shock of lightning to her skin, Ellana thought of the people who she would leave behind and the ones who she couldn’t wait to see again.</p>
<p>She felt hands grabbing at her body, pushing and pulling like the waves that moved them. Someone somewhere screamed at her to keep going. A man's voice? A woman's?</p>
<p>It would be so easy to give up and let go. She imagined letting her muscles relax, her eyes closed <em>finally </em>in peace. </p>
<p>Ellana began to swim. No, not yet.  Not after everything she had gone through and witnessed. </p>
<p>In the dark water, she made out the form of Sera, floating away from her. Ellana pushed, kicked the water back with her legs as she reached for Sera, grabbing the tail of the girl's tunic. </p>
<p>Ellana seemed to be swimming to the water's surface for hours, her breath screaming in her throat and lungs. Finally, her mouth opened trying to suck in air but instead chocked on a gush of saltwater. The pain of the arrow kept her awake and when she felt her vision dizzying, she dug her fingers into the wound before grabbing Sera again and pushing for the top. </p>
<p>They broke the surface, the waves still threatening to pull them under as they slammed into their bodies, dunking them back down.</p>
<p>"Sera!" Ellana yelled, "Damn it Sera wake up!"</p>
<p>Battling the current was too hard with both their weight and only her legs to keep them afloat. They were being moved to the wall, and Ellana saw what could soon be their future, being smacked against the wall again and again until they were unconscious and drowned to the sea's floor. </p>
<p>Sera sputtered against her.</p>
<p>"Sera! You need to swim!"</p>
<p>"I can't"</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"I can't swim," she cried, water gurgling in her mouth.</p>
<p>If they got out of this mess Ellana was going to be having some words and lessons with her friend. Above the crests of water, she spotted a buoy, one of the fishermen's that was large enough to climb onto.  </p>
<p>"There!" She nodded, "kick your legs towards it!"</p>
<p>Together, they swam towards the buoy, a long process that was interrupted by several dunks underwater. Sera dragged herself up first, pulling Ellana's almost lifeless body up next. She was so tired, the fight and the waves and her injury taking everything out of her. The wound felt like it was on fire, burning her with every swell of pain.</p>
<p>Sera held her in her place as they flopped over the waves with the buoy. "That wound isn't looking too hot."</p>
<p>Ellana grunted, "It sure feels that way, it burns."</p>
<p>"Not what I meant."</p>
<p>Darkness began to creep into her vision like tendrils of smoke. Ellana laid her head down against Sera's arm and finally was pulled off into sleep. </p>
<p>She awoke in a forest, a fine mist covering the air and shifting through the tree branches. The grass underneath her was impossibly soft as if it was one of the warmest wool blankets she used on her bed back at Skyhold. A pang of sadness hit her as she thought of the great fortress now empty, banned from use by the Kingdoms of Fereldan and Orlais at the Exalted Council. </p>
<p>A twig snapped and Ellana jolted up, looking for the source of the sound.  A lone wolf stood, lined by the trees. Its eyes were so sad, bearing the weight of lifetimes of grief. She wondered if the wolf saw the same sadness reflected in her own eyes. </p>
<p>Ellana's heart ached so badly that she clutched her chest. </p>
<p>The wolf howled, one long cry, that was as pained as it was loud before retreating back into the forest, the mist enveloping the figure as it disappeared. </p>
<p>A sob wracked Ellana's body. </p>
<p>Not the Dread Wolf, nor Fen'Harel, it was only in her dreams where she could speak his name out loud.</p>
<p>"Solas," she whispered.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello all! Thanks for reading the first chapter, I'm really excited about this fic and can't wait for you all to read the juicy bits (and when I say juicy bits I mean war, angst, and death hehe). </p>
<p>Just a little disclaimer but while I spent plenty of time researching lore and whatnot, I'm probably going to be wrong about 90 percent of the things I will predict in this fic such as the truth of the Evanuris/Forgotten Ones/Old Gods/Titans and so on. </p>
<p>ALSO if you haven't looked at the tags this is a sort of love triangle but I think it will be fairly obvious early on as to who our gal Ellana ends up with. But just for clarity, she did romance Solas in-game which will be touched on in future chapters.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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